Hi Maddy,
I've posted all this before, but it was easy to copy and paste it here...
So you've reached the point that I dreaded with my i3 Pro B Build...
I guessed the actual assembly would be easy enough, but getting the thing to make a print ??? !
I had never even heard of 'Repetier', Arduino, marlin, nor several other names of software thrown at me...
So where to begin ?
Firstly, I knew about my machine...
I knew that I had T8 Leadscrews and not M8 x 1.25 threaded rods - I knew this made a difference to settings...
I knew I had fitted a 3D Touch probe, so I'd be using that...
I downloaded and installed a couple of software packages...
I downloaded 'Arduino' - Google this, you'll find their site and FREE download.
I have a windows 10 machine and just downloaded the latest version.
I downloaded a version of 'Marlin'... from a link on this forum.
I downloaded the one from the first post in this thread...
https://www.geeetech.com/forum/viewtopi ... 813#p99813
With some hesitation, I plugged the USB lead from the socket of my printer into my computer...
Great... No fire, nor anything else too nasty. I searched to see if the computer had seen it...
Did the correct drivers install ?
Windows 10 should do this for you when you connect the USB with the power on the printer -
It takes a few moments. Listen for the 'USB connected' sound !
Assuming you have, you now have a USB serial port, probably on COM 3, but maybe COM 'some other number'
Check, because you'll need it...
Your printer will be found in the 'devices and printers' area. It will not have the Geeetech name there, mine came up as " FT232R USB UART " !
Once you know which COM port you're on, install "Arduino"
This program isn't just for 3d printers... It can 'Talk' to many products.
Run Arduino.
There is a 'Tools' Tab at the top.
Look down this list and select the 'Port'
It will ask you to choose the correct port from a list... Probably COM 3 but may be different.
Now, hopefully, you have a version of Arduino that can communicate to your printer...
Now, you need to use the downloaded 'Marlin' folder...
This contains your 'Firmware', it IS printer and set-up specific, reading the forums you'll get the correct one.
Whilst running Arduino, you should open the Marlin folder (From within Arduino).
Look for the file 'Marlin.ino' and open that...
It will open a whole series of TABS across the top ...
The main one to look for is called 'configuration.h'
Make sure this reads as it should... Check forums for your model and any mods / extra bits like probes etc you may have fitted...
(eg - I have the T8 Leadscrews, not M8 x 1.25mm rods for the Z axis...
1/3rd the way down the 'configuration.h' file, the steps per mm values are set...
a T8 leadscrew is a Z value of around 400, wheras the M8x1.25mm rod is 2560)
Once you're happy, then hit the upload button...
It will take a while to compile the information and then upload.
It can take a minute or so, and if you look in the bottom left corner, it will tell you where it's at...
Now hopefully you have a printer that can run...
I then downloaded 'Repetier'. Now I actually dislike this program and very rarely use it - but it was initially the easiest to get printer moving when I started...
I installed this, told it which COM port to use and BINGO - I could make my printer head travel wherever I wanted !
I switched on the heaters and they worked !
I spent a while getting my printer bed level... I was going to use the probe to check this every print, but I wanted to start as close to perfect as possible.
I was going to print using PETG, so I looked up the suggested temperature and speed settings - I also noted that people said it was good to cover the glass with blue masking tape - so I bought some...
Now I wanted some good 'Slicing software'; I quite like using 'Cura' - it's FREE !
I put in all the 'Printing variables' I thought may be suitable... I would suggest print speeds FAR SLOWER than you first read - try 50% of them... Better to start with slow prints than keep chasing failures and their causes...
I downloaded a calibration cube from 'Thingiverse'
I loaded this stl file into Cura and 'sliced' it...
I now had a 'gcode' file.
I found that I could easlily open/read/modify this 'gcode' file using a plain text editor like notepad.
And we haven't even mentioned the sd card reader yet ! - You don't actually need it if you don't want to use it.
BUT I ALWAYS PRINT FROM A CARD !! - I connect the printer to my PC only when I have to !
As for sd cards... Windows formatting can be a pain with cards - some people actually find their cameras format the card better for the generic reader ! Certainly there are freebie downloadable sd card formatters that can do this for you.
I found that the first time I inserted a card, my printer saw it instantly...
I used my computer to put the gcode file onto the card.
I inserted the card into my printer...
I used the 'Prepare' menu to heat up the bed/nozzle and left them a couple of minutes to settle down...
I selected 'Print from SD' on my printer
- And it printed a cube - !
OK - There were a couple of errors, not the best calibration cube ever printed, but it worked !
Get this far and have a play...
Let us know how you get on...
Gerry
